Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. This order contains 11-12 families, although some authorities have designated as many as 23, over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently. They are most diverse in southeastern Asia, and are entirely absent from Australia and South America. At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the bigmouth buffalo.
Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families. The family includes about 260 described species. New species are being described regularly.
The Burmese Border loach, angelicus loach or polka dot loach, Botia kubotai, is a recently described species that has quickly become a popular tropical fish for freshwater aquariums. In 2002, fish collectors working in western Thailand began to expand their search into Myanmar (Burma) area from the Three Pagodas Pass Thai-Myanmar border to look for new fish for the aquarium trade. This is one of several species discovered and explains the origin of the fish's common name: Burmese Border Loach. Its specific epithet honors Katsuma Kubota of an aquarium export company in Thailand who first purchased the catch and sent them out for identification.
The waterfall climbing cave fish, also known as the cave angel fish, is a species of troglobitic hillstream loach endemic to Thailand. It reaches a length of 2.8 centimetres (1.1 in) SL. This fish is known for its fins, which can grapple onto terrain, and its ability to climb. This fish is the only known member of its genus. The species has been recorded from eight subterranean sites within a large karst system in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. The species has an extent of occurrence of nearly 200 km2, but an area of occupancy of 6 km2; the connectivity of this karst systems is unknown, some caves are definitely connected. The species is found in eight of the caves. It has been recorded from the Susa and Tham Mae Lana. It may also occur in other submerged caves in the area. However, the species has a potential threat of agricultural pollution which could impact the whole karst system, making it one location.
Eidinemacheilus smithi, also known as the Zagroz blind loach, is a species of loach in the family Nemacheilidae. This cavefish is endemic to an aquifer in the Karun River drainage in the Zagros Mountains of Iran.
Schistura is a genus of fish in the stone loach family Nemacheilidae native to the streams and rivers of the southern and eastern Asia. Some of these species are troglobitic.
Schistura oedipus is a species of troglobitic stone loach endemic to caves in the Pang Mapha karst formation in Mae Hongson Province in Thailand. It is only found in very fast flowing cave streams where it feeds on micro-organism and organic matter. This species is highly sensitive to disturbance, changes in water quality and hydrography. The specific name oedipus refers to the mythical Ancient Greek king of Thebes, Oedipus who tore out his own eyes, this species has degenerate eyes.
Triplophysa is a genus of fish in the family Nemacheilidae found mainly in and around the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. Currently, the genus is a mixed assemblage of species. Some lineages have been identified and treated as subgenera, but as Wikipedia follows Fishbase for fish species these have been treated as subgenera in Wikipedia, although Kottelat and the Catalog of Fishes treat them as genera. FishBase, however, includes these in Triplophysa without specifying subgenera and treats the names given by Kottelat as synonyms.
Danio erythromicron, often known as emerald dwarf danio and emerald dwarf rasbora, is a species of cyprinid fish which is endemic to Inle Lake in Myanmar.
Epalzeorhynchos is a small ray-finned fish genus of the family Cyprinidae. Its members are – like some other cyprinids – known as "freshwater sharks" or simply "sharks". They are, however, freshwater members of the Osteichthyes lineage which is distinct from the Chondrichthyes lineage of sharks. The description of these animals as "shark" is most likely a reference to the shark-like shape of these popular cyprinids.
Acantopsis dialuzona is a loach native to the swift, clear streams and rivers of mainland and archipelagic Southeast Asia, from India to Indonesia through the Chao Phraya and Mekong river basins. It can also be found in flooded fields.
Oxynoemacheilus ceyhanensis, the Elbistan loach, is a species of Cypriniformes fish in the stone loach genus Oxynoemacheilus. It is found in moderately fast flowing streams with gravel or rocky beds and is known only from the Elbistan in upper drainage of the Ceyhan River in south eastern Turkey.
Schistura deansmarti is a species of ray-finned fish in the stone loach genus Schistura. It is found in cave streams in a karst landscape in the Thung Salaeng Luang National Park of Phitsanulok Province where it lives mainly on the stream beds and feeds on organic material and micro-organisms. The specific name honors the British speleologist who collected the original specimens and who works for the conservation of caves in Thailand.
Schistura sexcauda is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. It is found in the basin of the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand where it has been recorded in streams with a moderate to fast current, in riffles, over substrates consisting of gravel to stone. Some authorities regard Schistura fowleriana as a synonym of this species.
Schistura kodaguensis is a species of ray-finned fish, a stone loach, in the genus Schistura. This species has been recorded from a single stream with a swift current and gravel bottom in the Cauvery River system in Karnataka, India. The specific name is derived from Kodagu District where the type specimen was collected.
Mesonoemacheilus petrubanarescui is a species of ray-finned fish from India. The specific name petrubanaescui honours the Romanian ichthyologist Petre Mihai Bănărescu. It grows to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) standard length. It is endemic to the Western Ghats and is known from only two locations, the Netravati River and Kabani River in Karnataka and Kerala. It is a little known species which is rare and may be threatened by habitat alteration, sand mining and pollution. It turns up occasionally in the aquarium trade where it is sold as the "dwarf loach".
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri is a freshwater fish native to large parts of Southeast Asia. It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade. Its common names include honey sucker, sucking loach and Chinese algae eater; the FAO-endorsed common name is Siamese algae eater. The black line on the side of a true Siamese algae eater ends at the back of its tail fin and not the beginning.
Loaches are fish of the superfamily Cobitoidea. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of Cobitoidea comprise about 107 genera divided among 9 families.
Ellopostoma is a small genus of loaches native to Southeast Asia. This is the only genus in the family Ellopostomatidae, having been confirmed as being in a family of its own by M. Kottelat in his review of the loaches in 2012.
Botia udomritthiruji is a small freshwater fish in the loach family Botiidae native to the Great Tenasserim (Tanintharyi) River Basin in south Burma. It reaches 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) in length, and the female's abdomen plumper than the abdomen of the male.
